Pre-diabetes is an indication that your body is struggling to properly assimilate blood glucose into your cells where it can be used as energy. The condition usually develops in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who eat a lot of high-sugar, low-fiber processed foods and who are overweight or obese. In the past, pre-diabetes was something that affected primarily middle-aged and older adults. Now, more young people are being diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Research published in Diabetes Care suggests the pre-diabetes in young people is reaching epidemic levels. Exercise plays an important part in preventing and reversing this condition.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Kids and young adults should be active naturally and on their own, but that often isn't the case. To help kids with pre-diabetes get control of their health, schedule 30 minutes a day for cardiovascular exercise at least five days a week. This is anything that will get their heart rate up and get their bodies moving. If scheduling doesn't allow for a 30-minute block of exercise, try three 10-minute blocks a day instead. This gives kids time for a brisk walk in the morning, a bike ride after school, and ten minutes of Wii fit exercise after dinner, for example.

Strength Training

Cardiovascular exercise may be the most important component in helping pre-diabetic kids to lose weight and get control of their condition, but strength training can help, too. Lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises like squats and push-ups engages the larger muscles in the upper legs, abdomen, and lower back. In turn, these muscles burn off more glycogen, and that helps the body to better regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. Encourage kids to do ten to 20 minutes of strength training every other day.

Flexibility

One of the biggest obstacles you'll face in getting your kids to exercise regularly is their resistance to the idea. Part of that resistance may come from the discomfort that results from moving their bodies in new ways. Teach your children stretching exercises to help increase their flexibility and mobility. This will make other kinds of exercise easier and more fun. Have kids spend five to ten minutes each day doing gentle stretching.

Active Lifestyle

The most important thing you can do to help your kids reverse pre-diabetes is to teach them the importance of an active lifestyle. Make time at least twice a month for your family to go out and do active things together. Take walks. Play Frisbee. Go on day hikes. Go swimming at the local public pool. Require your children to participate in at least one organized activity that promotes fitness. Let them choose what appeals to them most. They might want to play soccer, take a dance class, learn to ice skate, or earn their black belt in Karate. Whatever it is, if it gets them moving, it's a good thing.

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Pre-diabetes

PubMed, emerging epidemic of type 2 diabetes in youth